60 Civil Rights Groups Demand Google Disclose Number Of ‘Geofence Warrants’

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release 60 Civil Rights Groups Demand Google Disclose Number Of ‘Geofence Warrants’   (NEW YORK, NY, 12/8/2020) – Today, 60 civil rights groups, led by the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, demanded that Google disclose the number of so-called “geofence” and “keyword” warrants it receives. These new search tactics allow police to get information on tens of thousands of Americans through a single court order. SEE: Sign-on Letter https://www.stopspying.org/geofence-letter Wired - Creepy ‘Geofence’ Finds Anyone Who Went Near a Crime Scene https://www.wired.com/story/creepy-geofence-finds-anyone-near-crime-scene/   c|net – Google is giving data to police based on search keywords, court docs show https://www.cnet.com/news/google-is-giving-data-to-police-based-on-search-keywords-court-docs-show/ “Geofence and keyword warrants are a growing threat to our privacy, but Google needs to be more transparent about how they are used,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “Currently, Google lumps these invasive court orders in with standard warrants, but geofence and keyword warrants pose a much more potent threat. A single one of these orders can track every person at a protest, a house of worship, or a medical facility. With more transparency, we can amplify efforts to outlaw these sweeping search warrants.”   In April, the civil rights group helped introduce the nation’s first proposed ban on geofence warrants. The proposed New York law would also go further, outlawing police use of commercial databases to track location data.   SEE: Release - S.T.O.P. Welcomes Introduction Of NY Geolocation Tracking Ban, Blocks Use Of COVID-19 Surveillance In Criminal Cases https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2020/4/10/stop-welcomes-introduction-of-ny-geolocation-tracking-ban   Protocol - New York lawmakers want to outlaw geofence warrants as protests grow https://www.protocol.com/new-york-lawmakers-want-to-outlaw-geofence-warrants   In July, S.T.O.P. welcomed Congressional questioning of Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet, on geofence warrants. The questions by Representative Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota came during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law, where Mr. Armstrong expressed concerns about the unconstitutionality of such searches.   SEE: S.T.O.P. Welcomes Congressional Questioning Of Google On Geofence Warrants   https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2020/7/29/stop-welcomes-congressional-questioning-of-google-on-geofence-warrants    The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider hosted by the Urban Justice Center. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.   - END –   CONTACT: Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn;   Copyright © 2019 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.